Electronic circuit for correction of the time display on an electronic timepiece

ABSTRACT

An electronic circuit for correction of the time display on an electronic timepiece, this circuit including a selector switch having a rest position for which the timepiece advances normally, and operating positions for minute setting, hour setting and day setting. Delay means are connected between said selector switch and the setting means of one or more display means for minutes, hours or days in order that such setting means only start to operate when the selector switch has been shifted to the operating position for a sufficiently long time, but are inoperative if the selector switch is rapidly shifted through this operating position.

United States Patent Maire et al.

[ ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT FOR CORRECTION I OF THE TIME DISPLAY ON ANELECTRONIC TIMEPIECE [75] Inventors: gz g fi tz g m z- :13:5 PrimaryE.\'aminerRichard B. Wilkinson switzerland Assistant Examiner-U. WeldonAttorney, Agent, or Firmlmirie, Smiley & Linn [73] Assignee: Compagniedes Montres Longines Francillon S.A., Saint-Imier, Switzerland [57] vABSTRACT [22] Filed: July 31, 1972 An electronic circuit for correctionof the time display on an electronic timepiece, this circuit including ase- [211 App! 276317 lector switch having a rest position for which thetimepiece advances normally, and operating positions for [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data minute setting, hour setting and day setting.Delay Aug 27, 1971 Switzerland H 12584/71 means are connected betweensaid selector switch and the setting means of one or more display meansfor [52 US. Cl. 58/23 R, 58/855 minutes, hours or day in Order that SuchSetting (51] Int. Cl G04c 3/00 means only Start to Operate when theSelector Switch [58] Field of Search 58/23 R, 23 A, 33, 34, has beenshifted to the Operating position'for Suffi- 58/63, 55 ciently longtime, but are inoperative if the selector switch is rapidly shiftedthrough this operating posi- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 3,643,418 2/1972 Polin et a1 58/23 R I l 2 lB OSCILLATOR FREQ- DlVlDER PATENTED MAR 1 8 I975 ca k SEQ BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronically drivenwatch having electronic hour setting.

In an'electrically driven watch or clock, the operation of timeindication resetting can be effected in two main ways; one is toaccelerate the rate of counting of the display system, either forward orreverse until correspondence between the indicated hour and the correcthour is obtained; the other involves stopping the display system untilthe time indication is correct, and then putting it into operationagain. In a mechanically driven watch the hour and minute hands can bemoved by the intermediary of a coupling system operated manually by thewinder stem; the movement of the hands depends on the movement of thestem.

When a watch or a clock has a digital display, the electronic drivesystems may permit accelerated movement of the display mechanism. Here asingle accelerated counting speed is not utilisable, being either tooslow for correcting the display, but controllable by the user, or tooquick for precise indication setting.

Several impulse rates are thus necessary, of different speeds ofcounting, the speed diminishing as the correct setting is approached.

Various solutions are possible, two being given below.

la. Press button stopping the actuation of the watch. b. One push buttonfor accelerating the counting (factor 1000).

0. One push button for accelerating the counting (factor d. One pushbutton providing resetting to zero of the seconds counter.

2a. One push button for supplying a frequency of lHZ to the minutescounter.

b. One push button supplying a frequency of lHZ to the hours counter.

c. One push button for stopping and starting the watch.

It is clear that the button 2c can be combined with a zero setter of theseconds counter after the stopping function.

The inconvenience of these difference systems is that in each caseseveral buttons are necessary. If the watch indicates the date, afurther button is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention toprovide a solution which avoids such inconvenience. It is concerned withan electronic watch having an electronic.

time resetting means which is characterised in that it comprises asingle commutator or rotatable switch all the functions necessary forindication resetting as well as an appropriate circuitry allowingrotation of the commutator through intermediate positions withoutundesired actuation.

Normally a rotating commutator only provides two functions without riskof disturbing the others; to right or to left of a neutral position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show twopossible em bodiments of electronic circuits as well as one embodimentof a commutator in accordance with the present invention.

The two circuits shown are for a watch having digital display. It ispossible to adapt them to watches having a conventional or hand display.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a first electronic circuit in blockdiagram for use with a drive oscillator.

FIG. 2 is an alternative diagram without an oscillator, and

FIG. 3 shows a commutator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows clearly the differentelements of'an electronic watch. These include a counting chain 1.comprising an oscillator l, for instance a quartz oscillator, afrequency divider 2, a seconds counter 3 with output 30 providing adisplay of seconds, a minute counter 4 with its output 4a providing adisplay of minutes, an hour counter 5 with its output 50, providing adisplay of hours, as well asa date counter 6 with its output 6aproviding a display of the date. There is an AND gate 7 and three lineselectors 8, 9 and 10. The detailed circuits of the different elements,the display decoders and the displays are not shown as these are knownelements. For example, suitable line or data selectors which may be usedwith the present invention are disclosed in the 1970 Texas Instrumentscatalogue, at pages 367-372, which is incorporated herein by reference.

There is also a commutator switch II with a position 11 for normal watchoperation, a position 12 for minute setting and for setting to zero theseconds, position 13 for setting the hours, and a position 14 forsetting the date indicator. The switching arm of the commutator II isdesignated 15 and is connected to ground. Positions 12, 13, and 14 areconnected through suitable resistors to a voltage source P so as to havepotentials 1 unless grounded by arm 15. A block flip-flop assembly IIIcomprises a flip-flop 21, two AND gates 22 and 23 and an inverter 24.Flip-flop 21 is set and reset respectively whenever its input potentialchanges from 1 to 0.

The delay circuit IV comprises a timer 31 which in this embodiment is acounter, two AND gates 32 and 33 and two inverters 34 and 35.

The operation of the device is as follows.

During normal operation of the watch the arm 15 of the commutator I1 islocated in the position shown in FIG. 1, in the normal working position11. In this position the flip-flop 21 is in a set condition with similarpotentials on its output 021 and its input T21. Consequently the ANDgate 22 has potential applied to both inputs A22 and B22 so that theoutput C22 is energised. This applies potential to input B7 of the ANDgate 7. Input A7 is fed at a frequency of lHZ from output B2 of thedivider 2, this being determined by the frequency of the oscillator land the dividing factor of frequency divider 2. When the AND gate 7 hassimultaneously input signals on its two inputs its output C7 isenergised, so that the seconds counter 3 is advanced by one step persecond. Since the reset input B3 of counter 3 is inoperative it has noinfluence on the said counter. That means when a potential 0 is appliedto the reset input B3, the counter 3 is reset to zero and cannot countagain before a potential 1 appears at B3.

Since the inputA22 of the AND gate 22 is set (digit 1) and the input A23of the gate 23 is at reset signal (digit the output C23 is reset (digit0). Therefore For the commutator II: The point 13 becomes 0. The inputA35 of the inverter 35 becomes 0 Le. A3

the input B8 of the line selector 8 is at O. The input C8 5 and byconsequence of the selector 8 is connected to the output Q21 of flipflop21, and inposition 11 of the arm 15 of the commutator II, a potential 1is applied to the flip-flop so that its output 021 and output D8 of thesaid selector 8 is at l.

The two line selectors 9 and 10 are similarly energised under normalconditions, since the potentials at their inputs C9 and C10 are also 1s. The counting chain 1 thus works continuously under normal conditions,and is not influenced by other parts of the circuit.

The following table gives the effects of moving the arm to its variouspositions.

For the flip-flop block III, when arm 15 is in the position 11 as shownin FIG. 1,

B24 =A23=(O) and v B23 B2 (l (starting condition) For the delay circuitIV l3 =A35 ==C9;-(l) (starting condition) since A35=(l) B35 B3l B32 =(0)(3i =A34 =B33 =(O) (starting condition) since A34=(0) B34=A32 (I) sinceA32=C32 =(l) but B32=(0) D32 =A3l (0) since A33=(l) (starting condition)and B33=C3l (0) For the date setting 14 and the line selector 1'0 B10 B2(l) Thus all the line selectors 8, 9 and 10 have potentials 1 at theirinputs C8, C9 and C10 respectively, so that their outputs D8, D9 and D10are responsive to the inputs A8, A9 and A10 respectively. The potential1 on one input B7 of the AND gate 7 and a potential 1 on the other inputensure that the output C7 also is at potential 1. Consequently thecounting chain 1 is not disturbed by signals not appertaining to a timecount.

if for one reason or another a correction of the hour display isnecessary, the arm 15 is turned to position 13 (hour setting). Theaction of the circuit is now as follows:

In the counting chain,

The hour display is advanced by 1 hour each second due to the changingof the potentials in B9 and C9 of the line selector (see the explanationwhich follows).

since A32 C32 B32 (l) at this moment the timer 31 starts to count theseconds impulses which are being supplied thereto from output B2 throughAND gate 32. This counting continues for a predetermined suitable numberafter which the potential at the output C31 changes and becomes C31 (l)by consequence A34 l) and B34 A32 (0) which blocks again AND gate 32;the output C31 of the timer 31 remains in the state 1 until the counteris returned to zero. Since now C3l B33 (l) and A33 (1) (startingcondition) C33 B9 (l) which means that the l Hz input to the AND gate 33is injected into the line selector 9, and since C9 (0) input B9 isconnected to the output D9. In this manner the hour counter 5 isadvanced at a frequency of 1 Hz, instead of a frequency of one impulseper hour; the hour display thus advances by one step per second.

At the instant when the display shows the required hour number, the arm15 of the commutator II is replaced into the normal working position 11whereby the output C31 of the timer 31 returns to 0. At this in stantthe AND gate 33 is blocked, due to the fact that the inputs A33 and B33have different potentials, so that the regulator is again blocked initsin'itial state. When changing the position of arm 15 to position 11,

the point 13 and the input C9, of the line selector 9 be-.

come 1, so that the input A9 is again connected to the output D9. Thewatch resumes its normal working rate.

If at the end ofa month of 28, 29 or 30 days it is desired to advancethe date indication, it is neccessary to operate in the followingmanner. The arm 15 of the.

commutator II is brought into the date setting position 14, passingthrough the hour hand setting position 13.

Due to the change of the potential of the point 14 and at input C10 ofthe line selector 10, the input B10 to which pulses at a frequency of 1Hz are applied, is connected to the output D10, so that the date counter6 advances by one step per second instead of one step per day. When thedate display is correct the arm 15 is put back into the normal workingposition 11 so that the watch resumes its normal working rate.

Although there are two passages of the arm 15 past the setting position13, the hour indication is not disturbed by this operation, since thetime during which the potential of point 13 and by consequence the inputA31 of the timer or counter 31 is changed, is not long enough to supplythe number of impulses necessary to change the potential of the outputC31 of the counter 31. This is the case even if the passage of the arm15 over the point 13 is repeated several times because the counter 31 ofthe regulator 31 is reset to zero after each passage.

If finally, the minute display must be changed, the arm 15 of thecommutator ii is first brought into the position 11, if not alreadythere, and then moved to the minute setting position 12. The action ofthe circuit is as follows. The point 12 changes its potential andconsequently the input T21 of the flip-flop 21 to 0, or

The changing of the potential on T21 produces a change of the potentialat Q21 so that the two'inputs A22 and B22 of the AND gate 22 have apotential 0, so that the output C22 of the said gate becomes 0, and C22B3 =B7 so that the two inputs A7 and B7 of the AND gate 7 now havedifferent potentials. The output C7 A3 (input of the seconds counter 3),(O), which together with B3 (0) produces resetting to zero of thecounter 3 (starting condition).

T21 A22 =A24 (0), and the output B24 of the inverter has now a potentialB24 I) so that the AND FIG. 3 shows a transverse section of a commutatorII,

a the following parts being represented; the arm l gate 23 now transmitssecond pulses from output B2 to the input B8 of the line selector 8.

The input C8 of the selector 8 having now a potential 0 due to. thechanging of the potential of Q21, which has become 0 by reason of animpulse received as a result of the changing of state of T21, the outputD8 is connected with the input B8 so that the pulses at a frequency of 1Hz are injected into the minutes counter.

At the instant where the minute display indicates the .required number,the arm of the selector II is re- 'instant, the arm 15' is passed backinto position 12 which again changes the potentials 12, T21, A22, A24,B24 andA23, and since flip-flop '21 is now reset that of the points 021,B22 and C8. The result of those changes of potential is that the lineselector 8 changes state and-reconnects the outlet D8 to the input A8.The AND gates 22 and 7 remain blocked. Thereafter the arm 15 is broughtto the normal working position 11,

so that the AND gates 22 and 7 change state and the watch starts workingnormally again.

It can thus be seen that it is possible to correct each display element.without disturbing the others.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram not requiring a flip-flop.

tor II has an extrajposition. These are a minute setting position 12a, azero setting position 12b, normal working 11, hour setting 13 and datesetting 14.'Point 12a of commutator II is directly connected toterminals B3 and B7, while point 12b is connected to the input A35 of adelay circuit IV and to terminal C8 respectively, the output C33 of thisdelay circuit IV being connected to input B8 of theline selector 8. Inthis case, minute setting is effected by shifting arm 15 to position 12bfor a sufficiently long time exceeding thev delay time of circuit IV.Delay networks IV are identical to the correspondingly identifiedcircuits of FIG. 1 and are not illustrated in detail for the sake ofbrevity. The seconds display may be reset to zero and maintained in thisstarting condition as long asarm 15 is shifted to position 12a. In thiscase rapid passage of the arm 15 over point 12b remains without effectdue to the delay circuit IV connected to point 12b. Otherwise theoperation ofthis circuitand ancillary connections are similar to that ofFIG. 1 and are not, for this reason, described in detail.

formed as a bent spring, positioning balls 15a, a stem 17 allowingadjustment of arm 15 from the outside of the back 18 of the watchcasing, and a sealing element 19. The arm 15 is shown in contact with afixed conductor 16, which can be either the point of normal working 11,or one of the points 12, 12a, 12b, 13 or 14' of FIGS. 1 and 2. Theseconductors 16 can be mounted directly on the insulating base 16a of theelectronic circuit of the watch. Spring 15 is connected to the watchcasing by its stem Hand is thus maintained at O p,oten-- tial. To avoiddisturbing impulses at the instant of commutation, the flip-flops of thecircuit comprising the flip-flop 21 (FIG. 1) and the flip-flops of thetimer or timers IV (FIG. 1, 2) can be synchronously'operated.

What we claim is:

1. An electronically driven watch comprising a counting chain having anoscillator as a time-base connected to a divider for providing secondspulses to drive a series of counters in sequence, setting meansincluding a single commutator having an arm movable to a normal positioncontact and a plurality of setting position contacts, circuit meansconnected with said counters, said divider, and said setting positioncontacts of said commutator for applying the seconds pulses of saiddivider to selected ones of said counters in response to movement ofsaid arm from said normal position contact to respective ones of saidsetting position contacts for individually changing the setting ofcorresponding ones of said counters, and delay means interposed betweenat least one of said setting position contacts and said circuit meansfor delaying the changing of the counter associated with said oneposition contact upon movement of said commutator arm past said oneposition contact.

2. A watch in accordance with claim 1 wherein said circuit meansincludes a flip-flop connected with at least a first one of said seriesof counters for resetting said first counter to.zero and interruptingthe counting of said counting chain in response to movement ofsaidcommutator arm to afirst setting position contact.

3. A watch in accordance with claim 2 wherein'the commutator arm isrotatable and has a plurality of positions. I

4. A watch in accordance with claim 3', wherein the contacts of thecommutator are mounted on an insulating base of saidc'ircuit means.

5. A watch in accordance with claim 3, wherein the arm of thecommutatoris mounted on the back ofa casing for the watch. j

6. A watch in accordance with claim 13, wherein said commutator has fourposition contacts whereof the two middle position contacts are saidnormal position contact and said one position contact respectively.

7. A watch in accordance with claim 2, wherein said commutator has fiveposition contacts whereof the middle position contact is said normalcontact while one of the two position contacts adjacent said middleposition contact is connected to said delay means and the other isconnected to a second delay means. v

8. A watch in accordance with claim 2, wherein said delay means includesa counter.

9. A watch according to claim 2, wherein said circuit means includes aflip-flop circuit connected with its input to a contact of saidcommutator corresponding to a first setting position for correction of afirst and a second counter in said series of counters, meanscontrollable by the signal on said contact for connection of saidsetting to zero said first counter during the set condiseconds pulsesoutput from said divider to an'input tion of said flip-flop. feedingsaid second counter, and means connected to the output of said flip-flopcircuit for stopping and re-v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,871,168 DATED March 18, 1975 INVENTOR(S)Pierre-Andre Maire et a1 It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Claim 6, line 1:

"A watch in accordance with claim g instead of 13 Signed and sealed this1st day of July 1975.

$2911...) ittest:

C. ZLXRSILALL DANE Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,871,168 DATED March18, 1975 INVENTOR(S) Pierre-Andre Maire et a1 It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 6 line 1:

"A watch in accordance with claim 2 instead of 13 Signed and sealed this1st day of July 1975.

fittest:

C Z L-.RSI-L1LL DANE RUTH C. 1135-31? Commissioner of Patents AttestingOfficer and Trademarks

1. An electronically driven watch comprising a counting chain having anoscillator as a time-base connected to a divider for providing secondspulses to drive a series of counters in sequence, setting meansincluding a single commutator having an arm movable to a normal positioncontact and a plurality of setting position contacts, circuit meansconnected with said counters, said divider, and said setting positioncontacts of said commutator for applying the seconds pulses of saiddivider to selected ones of said counters in response to movement ofsaid arm from said normal position contact to respective ones of saidsetting position contacts for individually changing the setting ofcorresponding ones of said counters, and delay means interposed betweenat least one of said setting position contacts and said circuit meansfor delaying the changing of the counter associated with said oneposition contact upon movement of said commutator arm past said oneposition contact.
 2. A watch in accordance with claim 1 wherein saIdcircuit means includes a flip-flop connected with at least a first oneof said series of counters for resetting said first counter to zero andinterrupting the counting of said counting chain in response to movementof said commutator arm to a first setting position contact.
 3. A watchin accordance with claim 2 wherein the commutator arm is rotatable andhas a plurality of positions.
 4. A watch in accordance with claim 3,wherein the contacts of the commutator are mounted on an insulating baseof said circuit means.
 5. A watch in accordance with claim 3, whereinthe arm of the commutator is mounted on the back of a casing for thewatch.
 6. A watch in accordance with claim 13, wherein said commutatorhas four position contacts whereof the two middle position contacts aresaid normal position contact and said one position contact respectively.7. A watch in accordance with claim 2, wherein said commutator has fiveposition contacts whereof the middle position contact is said normalcontact while one of the two position contacts adjacent said middleposition contact is connected to said delay means and the other isconnected to a second delay means.
 8. A watch in accordance with claim2, wherein said delay means includes a counter.
 9. A watch according toclaim 2, wherein said circuit means includes a flip-flop circuitconnected with its input to a contact of said commutator correspondingto a first setting position for correction of a first and a secondcounter in said series of counters, means controllable by the signal onsaid contact for connection of said seconds pulses output from saiddivider to an input feeding said second counter, and means connected tothe output of said flip-flop circuit for stopping and resetting to zerosaid first counter during the set condition of said flip-flop.